Book: Falling in Love with God by Bob Hostetler

Bob Hostetler

about this book: Why does anyone want to "fall in love?" With anyone? Perhaps it is because we instinctively recognize that love is the most pleasurable of all human sensations. Love makes us feel good. It makes us happy. It satisfies our deepest needs. And if falling in love with another human being can do all of those things...how much more powerful could it be to fall in love with God?

FALLING IN LOVE WITH GOD answers that question. Drawing from the ancient love story of Hosea, a prophet whose life and prophecy map how to fall in love with God, it will fulfill the desires of all who long for a different—or deeper—relationship with God. This thoroughly biblical book will help and bless those who long to love God with all their hearts...but just aren't sure why they don't, if they could, or how it happens.

I honestly think the book of Hosea, tucked away in the last hundred pages or so of the Old Testament in the Bible, is a love song for today. It's never been a Top Ten hit, I know. In fact, you may never have read the whole thing. But I hope by the end of this book, you'll agree with me: It is a love song for the ages, one that can actually kindle love in the human heart.

There are a few things I'd like to explain about it. First, I took the unusual liberty of using my own personal paraphrase of Hosea as the primary text throughout the book. This is not because I am a translator or scholar; I am neither. I am, however, a reader and lover of God's Word, the Bible. So my paraphrase of Hosea's fourteen chapters is written from that perspective and no other. I tried to convey as smoothly and powerfully as possible the love of God that seems to me to virtually ooze from every line. Throughout, I tried to reduce confusion for the modern reader, as much as possible. But I do not intend or imagine my paraphrase to be in any way preferable or superior to the many excellent translations that are available; I strongly urge the reader to consult those versions for study and further reading, and allow any mistakes or misjudgments on my part to be corrected by them.

Also, through Falling in Love with God, I chose song titles as subheads. In so doing, I do not mean to endorse any of the songs, songwriters, or performing artists who are associated with the song, but intend them only as a way (a fun and memorable way, I hope) of emphasizing the romance of the book's message.

Finally, I ended chapters three through eleven with prayers, to help readers personalize and internalize the content of the preceding chapter. I hope readers will take the time and thought to actually pray it. I believe that is a key part of the process, making each reader a partner with the Holy Spirit in bringing about not just "head improvement" but "heart movement."

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• "In an irresistible, engaging way, Bob Hostetler has opened the book of Hosea to reveal the heart of someone in love with God"
— Kendra Smiley, speaker and author of Live Free

• "In Falling In Love With God, Bob Hostetler inspires us to relate to God in the way He wants to be encountered--through a heart of love"
— Randy Bohlender, author of Jesus Killed My Church